Most horse owners and barn managers we come across are TRYING to do the right thing and I was no exception. I heard dietary pitches everywhere I went and every equine package of product has their own pitch as to why to feed theirs. It took awhile to come to a simplified way to feed all 22 horses in my care that sounded like it would be effective and affordable. I've had all of them on that diet now for 4 weeks. The changes are slow when I look at them daily but more dramatic when I look at pictures.

Case in point, I have worked hard on a Canadian Draft gelding since he came to my facility last February with very crooked feet. I was making impressive changes and strides in the right direction, but we have jumped a huge notch since I changed and addressed his diet. Yesterday I trimmed him once again, and I was amazed at the changes in his feet since my last pictures taken four months prior, in October 2010. I've included the shots below. His feet are now thicker and heartier and able to respond to my work. I've been fighting dietary problems and didn't realize how much until I started looking at all 22 horses here on my property.

October 2010: brittle, frayed feet	October 2010: notice crookedness	February 2011: straight and strong

We're making strides. Here are top pictures of this horse's front feet between October 2010 and February 2011. The topview of the hoof shows the story with this boy. Wish I had pictures of how bad it was when he came in February 2010 when I first worked on him. I didn't know I should take topview pictures in a case like this. The sole shots don't tell the story or show how crooked his feet were in conjunction with his bony structures.

The biggest dietary change I made was to add California Trace and remove all sources of sweet. Thanks Sally Hugg for your work to create a product like this!! See www.californiatrace.com for details of the product. I now sell this product and have some in stock, it works! I'm giving grass hay, grinding my own flax seeds, California Trace Minerals, salt and plain shredded beet pulp. I save the cookies and carrots for after their work outs to replenish nutrients as needed.

I am not grazing them on rich green grass. The risks are too high for an overload of sugars and starches that could trigger laminitis and founder; an incredibly painful, expensive and sometimes fatal condition. This used to be almost 100% put them down decision due to pain and damage but we now have way more tools to deal with laminitis and founder albeit expensive. 50% of those that get laminitis will founder and 50% of those that founder will never be sound again. Those are high stakes.

Laminitis is inflammation of the laminae in their feet that hold the coffin in place and founder is when the coffin bone moves out of place or drops and punctures a hole through the sole of their foot. Their laminae are as sensitive as the nerves in our mouths so it is an incredibly painful event.

California Trace Minerals: